Fisher is new Sauk Valley publisher

Sam Fisher takes reins of Telegraph, Daily Gazette

Sam Fisher, who has been with Shaw Media for 31 years, was named Tuesday as publisher of Sauk Valley Media.

Fisher, who is currently publisher of the Bureau County Republican in Princeton, succeeds Trevis Mayfield, who resigned last month after nine years with the company.

In announcing the new publisher, company President John Rung said Fisher would assume oversight of publications of the Telegraph (Dixon), Daily Gazette (Sterling/Rock Falls), Ogle County Newspapers (Oregon) and Prairie Advocate (Carroll County), in addition to the Bureau County Republican, Putnam County Record and Tonica News. He will be based in Sterling.

“I’m excited about this opportunity, as we will be able to blend the strengths of both organizations together,” Fisher said. “As I will be spending the majority of my time in Sterling and Dixon, I will be looking to hire a general manager to oversee the daily functions of the Princeton location. I still plan on being active in the community in both markets.”

Fisher, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, joined Shaw Media in 1983 and held various management positions at the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake and at the Kane County Chronicle. He also had been a corporate sales trainer before he was promoted to publisher at Princeton in 1993.

He is an executive committee member of the Illinois Press Association and has been active in Princeton with Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Princeton Main Street, Bureau County United Way, Princeton Youth Soccer, and Princeton Public Library, among other organizations.

Fisher and Lori Frick reside in Princeton. Fisher has a 13-year-old daughter, Meg, of Princeton, a daughter, Brooke (Tim) Miller of Kewanee, and a son, Ben, of Princeton.